(chiefly construction and civil engineering) Able to support a load.
1908, Frederick E. Turneaure, Editor-in-Chief, Cyclopedia of Civil EngineeringThe different forms of partitions that are not load-bearing will be considered under "Fireproofing."
1958, Australian Atomic Energy Commission, Australian Atomic Energy Symposium, 1958: Proceedings of a Symposium on the Peaceful Uses of Atomic Energy in AustraliaThe reactor units each called for a circular pit over 300ft. in diameter, excavated to a depth of 20ft. to reach a suitable load-bearing stratum.
2001, Akram F. Khater, Inventing Home: Emigration, Gender, and the Middle Class in Lebanon, 1870-1920Alternating sandstone and limestone (the limestone being used in façades exposed to the winter rains or in more load-bearing areas) created a most pleasing decorative effect.
2004, G. R. Evans, The First Christian Theologians, an Introduction to Theology in the Early ChurchIt was in baptism (and in consequence in penance) that the theologically most load-bearing aspects of the liturgical life of the Church were concentrated.
1904, Morley Roberts, A Tramp's Note-bookThe porters, who stand in knots with cords upon their shoulders, bear huge loads; a characteristic of the place is this load-bearing and the size of the burdens.
1955, National Research Council (U.S.) Building Research Institute, Modular Measure: The Edited Papers and Discussions of a Research Correlation Conference Entitled Modular Coordination: Its Value in Contemporary Building, Conducted by the Building Research InstituteSince we do not need walls for load-bearing, the storage walls do not have to have any special thickness.
2006, David Lowe, Surgical Pathology RevisionA common degenerative joint disease that involves synovial joints only with recurrent or abnormal load-bearing on normal cartilage or normal load-bearing on weakened cartilage, or both.
